Watercolor of the day ~ Saratoga Farmhouse Lore

Hello friends and art fans! Here’s a little Art of Lore…

Farmer John Neilson and his wife Lydia built this iconic red house around 1775, just two years before the Battles of Saratoga would immortalize these Hudson Valley hills and change the course of the American Revolutionary War. The looming conflict drove the couple from their home, sending Lydia to stay with nearby relatives while John joined the fight against the British. The farmhouse did its part as well, serving as headquarters for several American officers including General Enoch Poor and none other than General Benedict Arnold (pre-treason).

Note that I exercised artistic license with a few small details of the structure — particularly the number of panes in each window — but it’s largely faithful to the landmark I saw on a recent summer visit.